TABLE tennis champion Wayne Percival had the time of his life on his England debut - at the age of 51.

Through his exploits at a Six-Nations Tournament in the Channel Islands, the financial advisor from Frodsham topped even the success he had last season in winning two national league titles.

Competing on Guernsey in the Over-50s section he helped England win the three-man team competition, was part of the triumphant doubles partnership and runner-up in the singles.

Percival, who lives in Fairways, was upset not to have completed the hat-trick but overall could not be too disappointed.

However, he admitted: 'I'd have taken what I achieved before the tournament but having got to the singles final, I obviously wanted to win it.'

His defeat wasn't made any easier by the fact it came against Brian Clements, the Mancunian he had played alongside in the pairs event.

'I was gutted to lose to Brian because I hadn't lost to him in the last three or four years.

'But I'd beaten the No 1 seed Mike Short and Chris Pickard, last year's winner, earlier in the competition.

'I'd come through two really hard games and that made it worse.

'When I got to the final, mentally I had already won it. It was my own fault.'

Percival explained: 'The last four times I had played Brian, I'd beaten him. I was 2-1 up and twice had match point in the fourth game but lost it.

'I should really have won in three straight games, having been 9-6 up in the first.'

England justified their favourites tag in the three-man team event with Percival winning seven games out of eight.

The round-robin opposition came from Guernsey, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man.

Percival, who later came through three games to take the doubles trophy, revealed his victory two years ago in the Cheshire Closed Championships had been his career highlight as it fulfilled a longtime ambition.

But he conceded playing for England was the best feeling yet.

'It was nice to play at international level,' he said. 'We had a really good time.

'There is a fantastic social side to table tennis and my wife Mandy also comes along to most of the open weekends.'

Although it was the first time Percival has represented his country, his initial taste of the big-time came back in 1977.

He was selected for North of England to take on the China National Team at Kirkby Sports Centre and faced the world No 2 in front of 2,000 people.

Last season, Percival was involved in two Premier Division title successes at veterans' level - with Cheshire's Inter-Counties team and a Sunderland-based National Seniors League outfit.

He has now also signed on for Halton's open-age National League side for 2005-06.

But table tennis isn't the only string to Percival's sporting bow.

He is a keen angler and holds the record for the biggest match weight on the River Weaver.